1. Technical Field
The invention relates to packages and particularly to a package for holding cassettes. More particularly, the invention relates to a reusable audio security package having an end opening for insertion of the cassette therethrough by automatic loading equipment, wherein the cassette is forced pass flexible ramps into a storage compartment of the package, which ramps prevent removal of the cassette outwardly through the end opening after placement in the storage compartment. More particularly, the invention relates to such a security package in which a top wall opening is locked and unlocked by a movable locking plate to enable the cassette to be removed from the package upon a sale thereof and returned to locked position for subsequent use in an automatic end loading operation.
2. Background Information
In recent years audio cassettes have become increasingly popular and have replaced LP record discs and 8 track audio tapes. The introduction of these cassettes into the audio market presented a problem to the retail sellers in that the cassettes, which are much smaller than the 8 track tapes and record discs, had to be displayed so that perspective purchasers could inspect the same to determine the artist, songs, etc. on the cassette This presents a security problem due to the extremely small size of the audio cassette in contrast to the record discs and 8 track tapes.
Therefore, various packaging arrangements have been devised which enable cassettes, and in particular audio cassettes, to be displayed for sale on usual display racks while retarding removal of the cassette from the package and subsequent theft from the stores. Examples of such packages are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,871,516, 4,243,142, 4,245,741, 4,285,429, 4,361,233, 4,381,836, 4,466,540, 4,489,832, 4,634,004, 4,567,983, 4,572,369 and 4,635,795. Certain types of these security packages are intended to be reusable such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,922 wherein the package is a plastic injection molded housing having depressible ramps which enable the cassette to be forcibly moved beyond the ramps upon entering a storage compartment, yet are resilient enough to prevent removal of the cassette out of the storage compartment unless the ramps are depressed by a key as shown in this patent.
Other types of packages such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,645, enables the cassette to be forcibly moved past retaining ramps into the storage compartment yet can only be removed from the storage compartment by complete destruction of the security package. It is desirable for certain applications that the security package be reusable for a cost savings.
Certain large volume audio cassette dealers and wholesalers use automatic equipment for loading the audio cassettes into security packages to reduce the heretofore labor intensive manual insertion of the cassettes into the storage compartments. These automatic loading machines will forcibly insert the cassette through an end wall opening of the package and past the above discussed flexible ramps, afterwhich the cassette is permanently secured within the package and can not be removed unless the package is destroyed. However, as discussed above, it is desirable to reuse these security packages for cost savings.
There is no known security package of which we are aware which enables the package to be used with known automatic loading equipment whereby the cassette is slidably inserted forcibly through an end wall opening and past resilient ramps, yet which enables the cassette to be removed from the security package by use of a releasable locking slide plate or the like, without destroying the package, enabling it to be reused with automatic loading equipment.